Stanford Punches Ticket to Fourth Straight Pac-12 Title Game
The Stanford Cardinal showed exactly why they are the reigning Pac-12 Tournament Champions taking down the UCLA Bruins 67 to 51 advancing to their fourth-straight championship game.
In the first quarter, both teams exchanged baskets. UCLA came out hot, starting the quarter with back to back layups as they would close out the quarter with a three point lead.
But from then on, it would be an all-Cardinal game.
Lexie Hull stepped up for Stanford as UCLA’s defense honed in on Kiana WIlliams shutting her out offensively in the first half.
“You know credit to UCLA, they’re a great team, great defensive team,” said Williams. “I think they’re one of the best defensive teams in the Pac-12, they made it tough for me.”
Hull ignited Stanford’s offense who went on a 14-0 run during the second quarter to push the Cardinal ahead by four at the end of the first half.
The second half would prove to be the deciding factor.
Stanford would maintain the momentum going on another run, 16-0 in the third quarter. Williams finally got going offensively, scoring all her points in the period, helping the Cardinal outscore the Bruins 25 to 10 in the third quarter.
“I never worry about the first half, because the second half is the ballgame,” said Cardinal Head Coach Tara VanDerveer. ”You know, we came out in the second, made adjustments but it is not just the adjustments, people settling in, playing hard.”
Up next, Stanford will go head to head with Oregon in the championship game for the third year in a row.
“I think Oregon is the number one team in the country,” said VanDerveer. “We're just going to have to really figure out what will give our team the best chance of being successful. They're a tough match-up because they are so skilled and so good at every position.”
